It's Magic...The Disney Magic!

The Disney Magic has been our vacation home for the past five years. With its distinctive design and room to accommodate 2,400 passengers, the Disney Magic is one of the most admired and recognizable ocean liners in the world—making hundreds of trips to dozens of exotic international ports every year. The Magic has 10 expansive decks, a total length of 964 feet, a width of 106 feet and a gross tonnage of 83,000. Aboard the ship, 945 Cast and Crew Members are on hand to accommodate the needs of each and every Guest, day and night. Before cruising with Disney, we had been on a few Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruises. I always tell people, once you sail on a Disney cruise, there is no going back! Disney’s ships are the cleanest best maintained, most efficient, and by far the best at pampering the guests!
The first event onboard is the Sail Away party. I enjoy the excitement of this event! The first time you hear the ship horn, it is magical. The Disney ships horns play the first seven notes of When You Wish Upon a Star. I get a lump in my throat and goose bumps when I hear it on the ship! My children find the party a bit loud, so I am going to tell you our family secret – but don’t tell everyone! We go to the elevators by Shutters on Deck 4 when the party starts. The characters use these elevators to go up to the party, so this is the first spot to catch them all! They are usually great about waving and giving hugs to the kids on their way up to the party – and we are usually the only ones there, so it is a great opportunity to interact early on without the crowds! After playing with the characters, we go out to the shuffle board area. You can hear the party above, but have the deck to yourself. The kids play shuffle board and I get pictures of them with the life savers. There are two dining rotations, Main and Late. If you are not familiar with dining rotations, it is Disney’s plan for allowing the guests to enjoy all the main dining rooms and keep the same servers from night to night. The benefit of this is personalized service every night. On your first night, the staff gets an idea of what you like, and then after that when you arrive, your favorite drink choice is waiting for you! They also get to know any special needs you may have. When our children were smaller, we would always leave dinner with milk in to-go cups for our room cooler and the servers would end the meal with these. Even if there is someone in your party who has special needs, you can expect the wait staff to pay special attention to their needs. The wait staff is wonderful about remembering needs and preferences to really add that extra service every evening! We have always opted for Main, since we go to bed earlier than most and have younger children, but I just learned about an option that makes the late seating look quite appealing! It is called Dine and Play. Basically, your children (ages 3-12) come with you to dining and are served quickly. The adults have the more leisurely meal with multiple courses and of course dessert! 45 minutes into the meal program, counselors arrive to escort the kids to the Oceaneer Club and Lab! I think this sounds wonderful and am looking forward to trying it! While half the ship eats dinner, the other half enjoys the outstanding show Disney is famous for in the Walt Disney Theatre. The only other assigned dining time is a Character Breakfast in Parrot Cay that is a "don’t miss!" If you prefer not to eat at your assigned times, there are other options. Room service is available 24/7 with some great options, and it is free – unless you order soda or special drinks; we also tip room servers. Soda is free in the dining rooms and on Deck 9. Also on Deck 9 is Topsider’s Buffet, where you can have great meals buffet-style. If a multi-course experience is not your thing, there are Goofy’s Galley, with sandwiches and ice cream, Pluto’s Dog House with hamburgers and hot dogs and hot sandwiches, and Pinocchio’s Pizzeria.
The main rotational dining rooms are:
Lumiere’s (Deck 3) – which offers a wonderful open to everyone table service breakfast and lunch and assigned seating at dinner. It is a more formal dining area with rose encased chandeliers and a large mural of Belle and the Beast dancing.
The Animator’s Palate (Deck 3) - on your first night of rotations is a don’t miss! When you walk in to your table everything is black and white – including the wait staff’s uniforms. During your meal the pictures on the wall become colored along with theme music that sets the mood. At the end of your meal everything is in bright colors – including the wait staff and there is an appearance by your favorite Sorcerers Apprentice, Mickey, leading a parade of guests and servers through the dining room!
Parrot Cay (Deck 3) – is a Caribbean styled dining room serving grill-inspired menu. When you first enter Parrot Cay you may think birds have invaded the ship! There are sounds of parrots and parrot chandeliers. We prefer the Magic, because we want the longest cruise possible! It is so much fun for the children when Mickey, Minnie, and all the other characters get to know them throughout the week! They become a part of your family! I always feel so rushed with character time at the parks! The cruise experience is so much more face time than even a character meal. My kids have started a dance party with Mickey and Minnie – they loved getting my son to sing and dance for them - and spotted him approaching, played Wendy Says – like Simon Says, only Wendy calls the shots, had tickle fights with Chip and Dale, had Goofy steal my son’s car slippers and play with them on the floor, just to name a few unplanned, magical memories. The best time for more character interaction is late in the evening! There is a boat full of characters: We have met all the princesses, Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, Dopey, Jiminy Cricket, Alice and the Queen of Hearts, Mickey and all his friends, Timon, Jo-Jo the Clown, Capitan Hook, Mr. Smee, and Capitan Jack Sparrow. The program counselors also become a part of our family for the week We love spending time with our kids in the clubs! Our kids really enjoy the clubs and we enjoy some couple time on our vacation. Where else can you go and feel good about your date time, knowing the kids are having just as much fun on vacation as you are?
One of our favorite date times was a couple’s massage. I thought the Cabana Massages on Castaway Cay were heaven, until they built the Spa Villas! We love to have a couple’s massage in the villas which includes a hot tub overlooking the ocean, hot tea and fresh fruit, we usually order a bottle of wine, a day bed on the balcony, and a massage for you both – we like the stone massages! It is INCREDIBLE and you will feel so pampered! We also book Palo every chance we get! My husband and I are foodies and love Italian cuisine. Palo offers amazing food and over-the-top service! All the dining there is wonderful, and each meal has its own reason for booking. Brunch has a great buffet with fresh seafood and wonderful pizzas. Dinner has the chocolate scuffle that you can’t imagine having room for, until you taste it! I would go on the cruise just to eat at Palo!
There are always plenty of activities on the ship. You can stay very active, or take it easy – it is up to you! We enjoy all the character meets and parties, catching up on our Disney movies – in 3D, swimming while watching movies, the theatre shows (which are the only time I ever see my children sit quietly enthralled), and so many other events; I could go on for days! Every evening there is a Navigator placed in your stateroom, which will outline the next day’s activities – and there are pages of them! Some of the activities include bingo, yoga, Heffalump hunts, story time with Snow White, pajama parties, art auctions, pin trading, wine tasting, galley tours.
Usually the final stop for the Magic is Castaway Cay! This is a blog article in itself! Disney’s private island is AMAZING! Beautiful beaches, characters, free food and activities on the island, and incredible experiences! It is a must-visit paradise! Although all my experiences on the Disney Magic have been as a mom with small children, I have met many people over the years who do not fit into this category, that love cruising with Disney. My Mother-in-law is a single lady, and they have activities planned for singles. She has attended singles receptions, and gotten to know a few other single travelers this way. I have also met honeymooning couples and childless couples who prefer Disney cruises. They enjoy the absence of casinos and the shows. As a parent, and I know the childless travelers feel the same way, I love the fact Disney is strict with the adults-only areas! There is a section of Castaway Cay dedicated to adults only, and many areas on the ship for quiet, childless relaxation. I have seen crew members several times, stop children from entering the sacred areas.
I would highly recommend a Disney cruise to anyone! I do believe the name Magic is true! My experiences aboard the Disney Magic have been very magical and the best vacations I have ever experienced!

Get Ready to Board the Disney Dream!

The Disney Dream

In 2011, Disney Cruise Lines will start sailing a new ship called the Disney Dream. This ship will be 50% larger than Disney’s current ships, the Magic and the Wonder!

Disney will continue their rotational Dining with 3 restaurants. The Enchanted Garden will have a glass ceiling that will change from day to night and flower lights that will bloom in time with the change. The Royal Palace will be upscale and feature designs from the Disney princess movies Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, and Sleeping Beauty. Animator’s Palette will transform from an animators studio to an under the sea fantasy featuring Crush and other characters from Finding Nemo who will drop by for a visit!

Remy on the Disney Dream is an intimate Adult Exclusive restaurant located on Deck 12, Aft that serves the finest in French-inspired cuisine for dinner. Offering the most upscale dining experience on board, Remy features spectacular ocean views and a warm, sophisticated décor—the perfect romantic setting for Guests 18 years of age and older.

On Goofy’s Sports Deck, the magic tees off on deck 13 with Goofy’s Golf – a miniature golf course where “lessons” featuring Goofy and his son, Max, lead guests through nine themed holes of wacky fun. Each hole offers special golf instructions – with a goofy twist. Also on Goofy’s Sports Deck, two digital sports simulators provide a variety of virtual game experiences such as soccer, tennis, basketball, golf and more. With the simulators, guests can kick, swing and throw, participating in favorite high-action sports without the hassle of chasing the ball. Max’s Courts are two mini-sized sports courts for little ones to enjoy soccer, basketball or group play. There’s full-court basketball that may also be transformed into a mini soccer pitch or volleyball court, plus table tennis and foosball tables. A walking track rings Goofy’s Sports Deck.
Another exciting feature is the new Aquaduck, a water roller coaster on board the ship!! You will be sent 13 ft over the edge of the ship and 150 ft above the water in an acrylic tube before you return to the deck of the ship. It is sure to be an exciting ride!

Little ones discover oceans of fun at this fanciful water-play area overflowing with pop jets, bubblers and lovable underwater friends like Nemo, Dory, Marlin and other favorites from the Disney•Pixar film, “Finding Nemo.” Shaded for protection from the sun and featuring a soft wet-deck surface, the 1,500-square-foot Nemo’s Reef is a place for children to cool off and play among colorful, interactive figures that move and spray water. Children will delight as they splash alongside Nemo swimming in a sea anemone, glide down a pint-sized water slide shaped like Mr. Ray and frolic near Pearl the octopus who “inks” herself with a mist of water. Kids can even get soaked in a water curtain that undulates back and forth like the EAC (East Australian Current).
Nemo’s Reef is surrounded by a glass enclosure, with a main guest entrance and a wheelchair-accessible entrance.

An element guests who book inside staterooms can look forward to is virtual portholes which are an industry first. The portholes are actually high definition video screens that will be linked to a camera on the deck to give you a view of the outside, even when you don’t have a window! And look out! Some characters may pay you a visit from time to time, and been seen from your virtual porthole, right inside your stateroom!

There are many more reasons to book a cruise on Disney’s newest ship, including in-depth interactive experiences for kids and adults, and an expanded Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island). The ship will sail both 4- and 5-night Bahamian cruises, starting January, 2011.

Kids' Clubs on Disney Cruise Line

The Disney Cruise Line is known for its on-board entertainment for children. Kids of all ages and stages can participate in either of the ship’s kid clubs. Siblings are welcome to stay together or separate if they choose. The staff really looks out for the younger ones and is careful to direct them to age-appropriate activities. One bonus they mentioned is that their children (ages 3 and 8) are no longer separated, which helped to alleviate some anxiety in the younger child. The Disney Cruise Line is also introducing some new children's activities. One of the most popular is Cinderella's Royal Ball. Children get to meet Cinderella as she explains to them how to be a prince or princess.

The new Animal Tracking Series was developed by a veterinarian and conservationist from Disney's Animal Kingdom. While on the ship, children create a tracking device to use in an animal hunt while docked at Castaway Cay.

New wristbands have also been developed as a method of signing the kids in and out of the clubs. They are worn for the duration of the cruise and are equipped with RFID(radio frequency ID) to store the child's info and register them into the kids' clubs. They can even be worn in the pools. You all know the cruise commercials, right? The kids telling the parents they already have their own plans and the parents should go and find something to do without them. I am the mother of a child with separation anxiety issues. To say that I am overprotective is an understatement. This was our first cruise. We had always spent our vacations together doing activities together as a family, so I hadn't really put much thought into the children's programs onboard. Then, friends of ours came back from their Disney cruise, and their kids told my son about all of the fun things they did. After that my son started asking me if he was going to do all of those things. We were only onboard for five minutes when my kids started asking when we could go check out the kids clubs! Once the muster drill was over, we headed up to check it out. I was amazed with all of the space Disney has dedicated to the children's program. The kids clubs occupy a large portion of an entire deck. My youngest son has some issues with separation anxiety as well as being extremely shy. I was shocked that he was willing (and happy!) to join his siblings at the club and enjoyed every minute of it. Disney's Oceaneer Club was originally intended for ages 5-7. We walked into the club and I was very impressed. Disney's attention to detail was obvious everywhere you looked. There are definite security measures in place, but are so well disguised everyone feels very comfortable. Each child is given a name badge and bar coded bracelet that's linked to all of their information, including a private password that you select. Each parent is given a beeper so they can be in touch at all times. There were smiling cast member faces everywhere we looked. They all seemed more than happy to meet the new kids and make them feel comfortable. The cast members come from all over the world and even as the end of the cruise neared, all seemed to still be having fun.

The Oceaneer's Club looked like it came right from Neverland complete with Captain Hook's ship. There is a wonderful dress up station where kids can become Peter Pan or Cinderella (and more!), a bunch of interactive computer stations, and tons of room to play.The first day on board was available for parents and children to roam around and check out the facilities. We decided to look at the separate club geared for children age 8 - 12. It’s called Oceaneer's Lab, and that's a wonderful name for it. There was a computer lab, a science lab, and my son's favorite... the giant Playstation. There were game controllers that looked like they belonged to a giant. Disney thought of everything on this ship. They also created a special club just for teens age 13 to 17 called The Stack. Its set up as a New York-style coffee house complete with music, games and large-screen TV, even an Internet Cafe. They offer organized activities each day, including pizza and pool parties, 2 on 2 basketball, volleyball, and scavenger hunts. They even get to invade the Oceaneer's Lab! My kids couldn't wait for things to start the next day. After breakfast, they were ready to go! I spent most of the day wondering if my beeper was working, since I never received a message telling me to come pick him up. I even made a couple of passes by the club just to peek in. He did lots of fun things such as a treasure hunt complete with Captain Hook, and a photo session with Mickey that included their own photo and handmade frame. He was having so much fun that he did not want to leave for dinner!

The day we spent at Castaway Cay was equally special. We checked out the kids club on the island and it looked like a huge sandbox with all the trimmings. My daughter wanted to spend most of the day swimming and since the kids club was not near the water she chose to stay with us. Ok... so at first I wasn't crazy about the idea of my kids spending our cruise doing stuff away from us, but they did have so much fun and my husband and I found we enjoyed our private time together as well. We will have memories for a lifetime of our magical Disney cruise. If you are considering a Disney cruise, I’d love to help you plan and prepare for the greatest family vacation you will ever take!

The Best of a Bad Situation

I am on my third day of my seven (really, six) day cruise aboard the Disney Magic and it finally feels like everyone is starting to relax into “cruise mode.” Our adventure getting aboard the cruise was anything but relaxing, but considering the situation, I find it hard to find fault with Disney.
Saturday began like any other day of getting onto a cruise, until we were told that the Magic was stuck in the Bahamas and would not be arriving anytime soon. It seems that a medical emergency prevented the ship from leaving Castaway Cay on time, and by the time the ship was ready to depart, the weather had taken a turn for the worst. High winds prevented the ship from leaving port and sent the plans of around five-thousand people into disarray.
For our part, Disney promptly sent everyone to Epcot at Walt Disney World where a pavilion was set up to try to coordinate everything. Many people had to be shuttled by Disney, because they arrived by airplane or had already returned rental cars. Snacks and entertainment were provided in an attempt to make everyone as comfortable as possible. When it became clear that the ship would not be arriving on Saturday, accommodations for about 2,500 people had to be found.
Nearly everyone was placed in an area resort (Disney was almost booked full), and attention was turned to getting everyone onto the ship the next day. This was not as easy as it sounds since the Magic’s sister ship, the Wonder, would also be there on Sunday preparing to receive its passengers. An alternate dock was found, and everyone was transported to the new location.
Once we arrived at the new dock, we went through security and were given our room key. Finally, we set foot on the boat and got to our rooms. Somehow, Disney managed to weather the logistical nightmare and get everyone onboard, albeit a day late.
This is not to say that there were not many frustrating moments and problems to overcome for those of us without a ship. My biggest was the piece of luggage with all of my clothing that my shuttle driver dumped on the street because he forgot to latch the trailer. It was eventually found and made it aboard the ship. Overall though, I think Disney did a good job of making the best of a bad situation.
Well, it has now been a couple of months since the cruise, and I thought I would give you an update. Disney did refund a portion of the cruise. It does not make up for the frustration of standing in long lines and missing out on St. Maarten, but it is something. I still feel that Disney did all they could, and am looking forward to sailing on the Dream next year.

Teen Club on Disney Cruise Line

Aloft on the Disney Wonder

A lot of people think Disney Cruise Line = families with small children.

I’d like to tell you about teens sailing on the Disney Wonder.

My 15 ½ year old took me to Aloft that first afternoon to show off ‘her’ space. There are lounge areas, a bar (ok, smoothie bar but it looks really cool), dance floor, games, books, music, disco lights, TV’s and so much more (even their own elevator). It is a really cool place to hang out & chill. I was able to get a few pictures while I was there. Parents, if you’d like to see and learn a little about Aloft, go while the ship is still in port. That’s when they let parents tour and they will answer any questions that you have. After the ship is underway, no one over 18 is allowed, except for the counselors. This is great for several reasons. First, the teens wouldn’t go or stay if parents were hanging out in there. Secondly, it’s a safety measure and that’s a good thing.

The first day of the cruise, there is a notice on your cabin door, addressed to the teen in your party. “The 411 will be held at 10:30pm in Aloft” the message reads. That’s the first thing that makes your teen fall in love with this cruise; I don’t have to be back at 10:30pm the party is starting at 10:30pm!!!

The “411” was the teen planning session. There were suggested activities & options for the cruise and the teens voted on them. They were their own Cruise Director and because of this, each cruise is different based on the teens that are there. They are given 3-4 choices for each hour the club is open and they choose what to do each hour.
Planned activities on the ship included different scavenger hunts; Wii sports games, game shows, movies/TV, and workout time in the fitness center, arcade time, and smoothie hours (free smoothies at the bar), and on and on. If the teens aren’t “into” any of that, they aren’t locked in. They come & go freely from the club. There are sport courts on deck 10 forward that they can use (basketball, soccer….I even saw a Cricket game one night) ping pong tables all over, an arcade, and the pool. There is no requirement for the teens to participate, but the 411 planning gives them the chance to plan things they want to do.

The fun for teens doesn’t stop when you pull into Castaway Cay. The club closes, but that because the counselors are on the island. Don’t worry your teen can’t leave the ship on their own; a parent does have to sign them out for them to leave the ship. There is an excursion on the island for teens. If they do the excursion, they are with a counselor the whole time on the island. The other counselors are at the teen beach. Yes, you read that right, the teens have their own beach. “Danger” and “do not enter” signs were posted; clearly stating the beach was only for those between the ages of 13-17.

The great thing about the teen program, the teens feel like they’re being treated as grown-ups, not kids. The parents don’t have to worry because the teens are being supervised (in a non-threatening way). The counselors are young & fun and the teens like them.
My only complaint at all about the teen program isn’t really about the teen program. It’s that Aloft stays open until 1 or 2am depending on the night and those same nights the adult clubs/areas close at 12am or 1:30am. This isn’t a problem with Aloft being open too late, but the adult areas closing too early. I’d like to be able to stay out as late as my teen, or at least have the option to.

My daughter was texting and Facebooking with her new friends the minute we pulled back into port. As soon as we got home, she started planning for our next Disney cruise and is really pushing for the Trans-Atlantic or a Mediterranean cruise. She had the time of her life and I’ll bet your teen will too!